Can opener



April 15, 1952 R. E. MGLEAN 2,592,933

CAN OPENER Filed Nov. e, 1946 2 SHEETS--SHEET 1 FIQ; 2.

grwexwto'v Robert E. M Lean p i 15, 19 2 R. E. MCLEAN 2,592,933

} CAN OPENER Filed Nov. 6, 1946 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 R bertEM Lean Patented Apr. 15, 1952 CAN OPENER Robert E. McLean, Fort Benning, Ga., assignor to John C. Hockery, Kansas City, Mo., as trustee Application November 6, 1946, Serial No. 708,168

11 Claims.

This invention relates generally to the class of cutlery and pertains particularly to improvements in can openers of the rotary feed wheel type.

An object of the present invention is to provide acan opener of the rotary feed wheel type wherein upon rotation of the feed wheel after engagement of the latter with the underside of a can flange rim and rotation of the wheel in the proper direction, the cutter of the device will be caused to assume its maximum depth through the end of the can before the can is moved forward in relation to the cutter to cut the end from the can.

Another object of the invention is to provide a rotary feed wheel type can opener having a novel rack and pinion construction by means of which the feed wheel is caused to move in a prescribed direction and to a predetermined position with respect to a cutter whereby to effect the movement of such cutter and the head of a can relatively to effect the penetration of the cutter through the can head whereupon the rack and pinion mechanism become disconnected to facilitate the free continued rotation of the feed Wheel and movement of the can forward in relation to the cutter.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a rotary feed wheel type can opener of the character above described, wherein the said rack is of novel form and is spring biased to be normally urged to a position where automatic reengagement of the pinion gear and rack is efiected upon reverse rotation of the pinion for the purpose of separating the cutter and the can head after the can head has been completely out out.

A still further object of the invention is to provide in a rotary feed wheel type can opener, a novel guide means for a drive shaft carrying the feed wheel and toothed pinion, whereby the feed wheel is caused to move along a rising arouate path during the interaction of the gear pinion and toothed rack, to bring the can rim engaging feed wheel and the can with which such wheel is engaged, into cutting position with respect to a fixed cutter.

The invention will be best understood from a consideration of the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings forming a part of the specification with the understanding, however, that the invention In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a View in elevation of the right or outside of an opener constructed in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 2 is a view in elevation of the opposite or inside of the opener.

Figure 3 is a view in front elevation of the opener.

Figure 4 is a view in top plan.

' Figure 5 is a vertical section taken substantially on the line 55 of Figure 1.

Figure 6 is a view illustrating the application of the above described embodiment to a supporting bracket arm and the use of a long arm crank for rotating the feed wheel shaft.

Figure 7 is a view in side elevation of the right or outside of an opener constructed in accordance with a second embodiment of the invention.

Figure 8 is a view in elevation of the inside of the same.

Figure 9 is a view in front elevation of the second embodiment.

Figure 10 is a section taken substantially on the line l0l0 of Figure '7.

Figure 11 is a detail section taken substantially on the line ll-I| of Figure 8.

Figure 12 is a view illustrating the application of the second embodiment to a wall supported bracket arm and the use of a crank handle to rotate the shaft and wheel.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings the numeral ID, in Figures 1 to 5 inclusive, designates the body plate of a hand suppofted form of one embodiment of the invention. This body plate has an upper portion ll wherein the front and rear edges are substantially parallel and a lower portion I! which through the major extent of its periphery is substantially elliptical, the long axis of the ellipse extending oblique to the vertical or longitudinal length of the body plate.

Upon the right hand side the body plate is tively wide arcuate slot, the top concave edge of which is struck from the center of the pivot stud M. This arcuate slot, as shown, extends substantially in the direction of the length of the elliptical portion I2 of the body so that the slot rises from a low end to a high across the length of the body.

Upon the outer side of the body plate is positioned within the confines of the lateral flange I3, the substantially elliptical rack frame which is generally designated I6. This frame substantially encircles the arcuate slot l as shown and the lower side of the frame has the laterally offset portion l! which is suitably apertured to receive the enlarged end portion I4 of the pivot stud I 4 as shown in Figure 5.

As is also shown in Figure 5 the offset of the portion I! of the rack frame is suificient to allow for the placement around a part l4 of the stud, between the body plate and offset, of a spring loop 18. One end of this spring loop is turned inwardly and engaged in an aperture IQ in the body plate, while the other end is turned outwardly and engaged in an aperture in the adjacent offset portion of the frame 16. The ends of the spring are below the center of the stud I4 and the spring is biased so as to normally urge oscillation of the frame l6 forwardly or to the front of the opener.

The upper or top part of the frame it consti-' tutes a toothed rack 2 I, the inner or concave side of which has the teeth 22 along the lower half of the length of this portion of the frame. The upper or top part of the rack. is free of teeth to permit the free rotation of the hereinafter described gear pinion when the latter is being rotated during the cutting out of a can head.

Disposed in the slot I5 in the plane of the body plate I0 is a spacer disk 23.

The numeral 24 designates a thumb and finger operating handle which is provided with a stem or shaft 25 of rectangular cross section. This stem or shaft 25 passes through the center of a gear pinion 26 and the disk 23 and also through a journal disk 21 and the peripherally toothed driving or feed wheel 28. The gear pinion 26 is upon the outer side of the body plate and lies within the rack frame I6 while the journal 21 is upon the opposite or inner side of the plate and the can rim engaging drive or feed wheel 28 is inwardly or further to the left from the journal 21. The end of the stem or shaft 25 is turned or swaged to secure it firmly to the toothed driving wheel 28 and the other elements upon the shaft are firmly fixed thereto to prevent lengthwise shifting thereon.

The pivot stud I4 carries a journal 29 which engages in an aperture in the lower end of a link 30. This link 36 has an opening 3| in which is received the journal disk 27. Thus it will be seen that oscillation of the link 30 on the stud M will carry the shaft 25 in an arcuate path along the center of the arcuate slot I5. This swinging movement of the link 36 and the stated corresponding movement of the shaft is effected upon rotation of the shaft in either clockwise or counterclockwise direction by the interengagement of the gear pinion teeth 26 with the teeth 22 of the arcuate rack.

The upper end of the link 30 which carries the can driving wheel 28 and the other parts supported upon the shaft 25, is formed to provide the longitudinally extending stop finger 32, the function of which is hereinafter described.

The numeral 33 generally designates a relatively long rectangular frame which is disposed transversely of the upper portion H of the body plate upon the inner or left side. This frame comprises the long side portion 34 and the terminal portions 35 and 36 which are in spaced end opposed relation one with the other and in spaced parallel relation with the side portion 34. These terminal portions 35 and 36 bear against the left hand side of the body plate portion H and are secured thereto by the rivets 31.-

The terminal portion 36 has its vertical free edge substantially in line with the center of the stud I 4 and the feed wheel carrying link 38 is of such length that when the link is in vertical position the stop finger portion 32 will lie within the space between the terminal portions 35 and 36 of the frame 33. The finger 32 is adapted to engage the adjacent vertical edge of the portion 36 and thus limit the forward swinging movement of the feed wheel carrying link 30 in the manner illustrated in Figure 2.

The frame 33 provides means for supporting a knife or cutter 31 in proper spaced relation with the body plate It and with the inner or left hand side of the feed wheel 28 as shown in Figure 3.

, This cutter 3'! is held in position against the inner face of the side portion 34 of the frame 33, by screws 38.

The lower end of the feed wheel supporting link 30 has formed integral therewith the laterally extending tongue 38' which constitutes a can guard for engagement against the side of a can which is supported upon the feed wheel 28 by the engagement of the under edge of its top flange with the toothed periphery of such wheel.

Figure 6 illustrates the application of the invention to a supporting arm such as may be attached to a suitable wall bracket, not shown, for the maintenance of the arm in fixed horizontal position on a supporting structure. In this view the arm is generally designated 39 and the forward or outer end is formed to provide the body plate for the opener structure, such plate being generally designated I8. Aside from the fact that the rear part of the body plate forms an integral continuation of the arm 39, the body plate is of the same form as the plate I0 and the other parts of the opener are of the same construction with the exception of the means for rotating the shaft 25' upon which the can feeding or drive wheel and other parts are mounted. In this modified construction there is employed in place of the thumb and finger handle, the

. generally designated Illa and is of the same form or contour as the plate ID in that it has the short straight upper portion I la and the lower portion i2a which is of generally elliptical contour and disposed to extend obliquely to the length of the plate, the perimeter of the body plate being bordered by the laterally extending flange I3a.

The numeral Ma designates the pivot stud which extends through the lower part of the body plate on the short axis of the same. This stud, as shown in Figure 10, is of slightly less length than the stud I l and it has mounted thereon the can guard H the lower oxide! which has the laterally turned portion 38" which performs the same function as the guard 38".

Formed through the body of the plate in the elliptical portion l2a, is the arcuate slot [5a which is struck from the center of the stud Ma and curves upwardly, terminating at its high end on the Vertical line of the body plate above the center of the stud Ma. As shown this arcuate slot l5a is of materially less width than the slot i 5 and it has positioned therein, in the plane of the body plate, the journal disk 21a.

The numeral 24a designates the thumb and finger crank which has the narrow shaft portion of rectangular cross section, designated 250,-, which passes through the disk 21c and is fixed against movement relative thereto.

Upon the left hand or inner side of the body plate Illa, the shaft 2511 has fixed thereto the peripherally toothed can rim engaging feed wheel 28a and upon the opposite side of the disk 21a from the wheel, is fixed to the shaft 2511 the gear pinion 2660.

As in the case of the pivot stud l4, the stud Ma. has the enlarged portion Mb upon the outer side, which terminates in the larger fiat head He.

Positioned against the outer side of the elliptical portion In of the body plate Illa is the elliptical rack frame I6a, the lower portion of which is offset as indicated at Ha and suitably apertured to receive the portion Mb of the pivot stud. The spring l8a is engaged around the part 14b of the pivot stud between the offset portion I'm of the rack frame and the adjacent face of the body plate and has its ends fixed in the apertures [9a and 20a formed respectively in the body plate and the offset portion of the rack frame and is biased to normally oscillate the frame [6a forwardly.

The pinion gear 26a lies in the plane of the frame Ito and within the same as shown in Figure 7 and the upper part of the frame [6a constitutes a toothed rack .2 la, the teeth 22a of which are formed along the concave inner edge through the lower half of the rack in the same manner as in the first described embodiment. Thus it will be seen as shown in Figure '7, when the pinion gear is at the upper end of the arcuate slot [5a the teeth of the gear will be free of connection with the teeth 22a but since the bias of v the spring 18a is such as to oscillate the rack frame forwardly reverse or counterclockwise rotation of the pinion gear will effect its immediate connection With the teeth 22a due to the slight forward movement of the toothed rack, as i will be readily apparent.

In order to maintain the body of the can guard 6| against turning movement on the stud I la, the body 4| is provided with the finger 42 which is engaged in an aperture 43 which is formed in the adjacent portion i2a of the body plate.

The numeral 33a generally designates the cutter supporting frame. This frame is of substantially the same form as the frame 33 with the exception that it has no part which functions to limit the movement of another part of the device as the terminal portion 36 functions to limit the movement of the feed wheel supporting link 30 by the engagement of the finger 32 there- I with.

The cutter supported by the frame 33a is designated 31". Since the frame and cutter are of substantially the same form as in the first described embodiment it is believed that further 6 description of this part of the second embodiment not required.

Figure 12 illustrates the manner of mounting the second described embodiment upon a supporting arim such arm being here designated 39a. In place of the thumb and finger handle 24d the bracket supported embodiment has its shaft 25" 'attached to a crank 40a to the outer end of which may be attached a ball knob, not shown, to be grasped by the hand.

In the use of the present invention if the can feed wheel 28 or 2811. is in the raised position in which it is shown in Figures 1, 2,v '7 and 8, counterclockwise rotation is given to the crank to reversely rotate the pinion gear 26 or 26a. Due to the bias of the spring which controls the rack frame, the frame will be given a slight forward rocking motion which will bring the uppermost one of its teeth into position for engagement by one of the teeth of the pinion gear. The gear will then roll or turn on the toothed rack moving the feed wheel and the attached parts around to the lowermost end of the body slot [5 or I5a. In this manner the feed wheel will be moved downwardly and rearwardly away from the cutter.

The can is then positioned against the inner side of the cutter with the toothed edge of the feed wheel engaging beneath the rim of the can and clockwise rotation is then imparted to the shaft of the cutter which carries the gear pinion and the can feed wheel. In the case of the embodiment shown inv Figures 1 and 2 this will effect rocking movement of the feed wheel supporting link 30- bringing it to a vertical position as shown in Figure 2 through the thrust action of the pinion gear 26 against the teeth 22 of the rack 21. When the link 30 reaches the vertical position where the finger 32 engages the end of the frame terminal 36, the pinion gear teeth will run free from the rack teeth and continued free rotation may then be given to this gear to feed the cutting device around the edge of the can causing the cutter 31' to cut out the head of the can.

In the case of the embodiment shown in Figures '7 and 8 the clockwise rotation of the feed Wheel. 28a, after placing the cutter in position on the can rim, will, through the interaction of the pinion gear 26a and rack teeth 22a, slide the journal disk 21a from the lower end to the upper end of the slot [5a. This will effect the relative movement of the can head and the knife or cutter 31", causing the point of the cutter to penetrate the can head and when complete penetration is effected the teeth of-the pinion gear 260; will run free from the teeth 22a. and, as in the first described embodiment, continued free rotation of thefeed wheel 28a may be effected.

The reverse thrust given to the rack frame H5 or Ilia during the operation of clockwise turning of the pinion gear and during the action of cutting the head from the can, swings the frame on its supporting. pivot stud against the tension of the control spring 18 or 811. This swinging movement is limited, however, by engagement of the lower end of the frame with the adjacent fiange l3 or {3a. Likewise, upon counterclockwise rotation of the gear the forward and upper end of the frame I5 or lBa will contact the ad-' jaoent portion of the flange l3 or 13a, preventing excessive turning of the frame and also providing a rigid support so that the desired pressure can be applied to move the gear and feed wheel in the desired direction.

In any embodiment of the invention, as illus tated clockwise after disconnection of the teeth of the oscillatable rack with the teeth of the gear pinion.

The operation of puncturing the end of the can by the cutter blade can be facilitated by a slight downward pressure by the palm of the hand on the top and forward portion of the body plate and cutter supporting frame.

The lower end of the cutter blade 31' or 31" is sufficiently blunt to assure traction of the can driving wheel with the under edge of the rim or flange of the can.

The cutter supporting frame 33 or 33a has suflicient resiliency to permit the cutter blade to be forced away from the can driving wheel a predetermined amount when necessary, such as when passing the seam of the can.

I claim:

1. A can opener comprising a plate body, a rotary shaft supported by the body for movement in an arcuate path from a low position to a high position, a cutter supported on one side of the body above the shaft, a can rim engaging feed wheel supported by the shaft on the side of the body adjacent to the cutter, an arcuate toothed rack pivotally supported on the opposite side of the body from said wheel for rocking movement about a center which is directly below the center of said shaft when the shaft is in the said high position, the arc of the rack substantially comforming to and following the curvature of said path, a pinion gear carried on the shaft for operative connection with said rack, the swinging movement of the radius of the rack teeth being true with the radius on which the gear and wheel swing, said rack having the teeth terminating short of the end nearest to the high position for the shaft whereby the pinion is freed from the rack for free rotation upon movement of the shaft and feed wheel to the said high position for the shaft where the feed wheel is in working relation with the cutter.

2. A can opener comprising a plate body having an arcuate slot therein, the slot being disposed to have a high end and a low end when the plate body is in working position, a member movable in the slot, a shaft carried by said member, a toothed can rim engaging driving wheel carried by the shaft upon one side of the body, means for turning the shaft and wheel, a cutter secured to the body upon the side adjacent to the wheel and above the high end of said slot, an arcuate toothed rack pivotally supported by the plate above the slot and the shaft upon the side of the plate opposite from the wheel for rocking movement about a center which is directly below the center of said shaft when the shaft is in said high position, the rack having a high end and a low end corresponding with the high and low ends of the slot, the concave side of the rack being directed toward the shaft and following the curvature of the slot and having teeth thereon, and a gear pinion on the shaft and adapted to mesh with the rack teeth, the swinging movement of the radius of the rack teeth beingtrue with the radius on which the gear and wheel swing, the rack teeth terminating short of the high end of the rack whereby the pinion gear may turnfreely when the shaft carrying member is disposed in the upper end of the slot.

3. A can opener of the character described in claim 2, the rack having limited oscillation about said center transversely of the shaft, and spring means connected between the rack and the body plate and normally urging oscillation of the rack to a position for engagement of the teeth thereof with the teeth of the pinion gear when the shaft is at the high end of the slot.

4. A can opener of the character described in claim 2, with a link member pivotally supported by the plate below the slot, the pivotal support for the link member being concentric with the are of movement of the shaft in the slot, and said shaft passing through and being pivotally sup-- ported by said link.

5. A can opener of the character described in claim 2, wherein said arcuate rack forms the upper side of an elliptical frame, the said pivotal support for the rack being connected to the lower long side of the elliptical frame whereby the frame has limited oscillatory movement in a plane transversely of the shaft, and spring means coupling the frame with the body plate and normally urging movement of the frame in a direction to shift the rack teeth toward and into contact with the pinion gear when the shaft is in the high end of the slot.

6. In a can opener, a body, a gear segment pivoted to said body to turn about a fixed center, stops on the body limiting the turning movement of said segment in both directions, a rotatable shaft supported by said body for m vement in an arcuate path about said center,- a pinion gear secured to said shaft for operative connection with said gear segment, means for turning said shaft in either direction about its own axis, said gears effective upon such turning of the shaft to advance the shaft along said arcuate path in one direction or the other depending upon the direction of turning of the shaft, stops on the body limiting the travel of the shaft in both directions along said path whereby said shaft has two limit positions, the teeth of said gear segment terminating short of the end nearest one of the limit positions of said shaft whereby the pinion is freed from the gear segment for free rotation of the shaft upon movement of the shaft to said one limit position, a can rim engaging feed wheel on the shaft, and a cutter rigidly mounted on the body in a position to engage the can when the feed wheel is raised by movement of the gear segment.

7. The invention as defined in claim 6, wherein the support for the shaft comprises a link member, a pivotal coupling between the link member and the plate body for swinging of the link on the pivotal axis of the gear segment, the shaft extending through and having pivotal mount-1 ing in the link member, the linkfmember being positioned to maintain the feed wheel in working position relative to the cutter when the shaft is in the said one limit position.

8. The invention according to claim 7, and a movement of the link member when the latter has reached the said position where the shaft is in the said one limit position.

10. The invention as defined in claim 6, with a pivot member carried by the body, a member supported upon the pivot member on the side of the body nearest to the feed wheel and having a laterally directed tongue for engagement against the side wall of a can, and means securing the last mentioned member against turning movement on the pivot member.

11. The invention as defined in claim 6, with spring means between the body and said gear segment urging the gear teeth toward and into engagement with the pinion gear when the shaft The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 0 Number Name Date 2,020,580 Schoenberger Nov. 12, 1935 2,186,668 Curtis Jan. 9, 1940 

